Our Blog
There’s broad scientific agreement that Pre-K programs can have positive impacts on children’s learning and development, but simply providing access to Pre-K isn’t enough—the quality of the program and the teaching matter. Meghan McCormick examines what we know about the important role high-quality instructional materials and professional learning play in strengthening Pre-K programs.
Our foundation has invested in formative assessments since 2022, aligned with our hypothesis that they are critical tools for delivering on the promise of truly personalized learning. In this spotlight, Meghan McCormick outlines the body of evidence behind high-quality formative assessments and what we know about their impact on student learning.
In this “Spotlight On Growth,” Emma Banay sits down with Hannah Paulin, Chief Strategic Officer at the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Together, they discuss the organization’s long history of nurturing students' skills and interest in STEM and innovation, the scale trajectory of its educational programming since the pandemic, and more.
Founded in 2012, Zearn is the nonprofit behind Zearn Math, the top-rated math learning platform used by one in four elementary school students nationwide. In this “Spotlight On Growth,” we hear from co-founder and CEO Shalinee Sharma and explore the organization’s journey to expand access to high-quality math learning.
In this “Spotlight On Growth,” Pete Lavorini talks with Michelle Brown, founder and CEO of CommonLit. Together, they delve into CommonLit’s growth trajectory, the role of AI in the organization’s future, and its approach to measuring impact on student learning and engagement.
Jessica Fredston-Hermann sits down with David Rosenberg, a partner at Education Resource Strategies (ERS), for a “Spotlight On Innovation.” Together, they discuss the current state of the teaching profession and how schools and districts across the country are rethinking the traditional “one teacher, one classroom” model with a flexible, team-oriented approach known as strategic staffing.
In this “Spotlight On Innovation,” Emma Banay talks with Nick Monzi, co-founder and CEO of Learn Fresh. Together, they discuss Learn Fresh’s innovative approach to inspiring STEM interest both in and out of the classroom, how the organization established strong partnerships with professional sports organizations, and the key to training and developing skilled program coordinators to support students’ math learning.
In our interview series, “Spotlight On,” Innovative Schools portfolio manager Pete Lavorini sits down with research and impact officer Meghan McCormick. Together, they discuss the current evidence base on the potential of high-impact tutoring to support student achievement and what school and district leaders need to know as they consider tutoring investments ahead of the new school year.
Research points to the potential value of high-impact tutoring for supporting learning recovery at scale, but key challenges remain. Meghan McCormick examines the current body of evidence on the impact of hybrid, virtual, and AI-fueled tutoring models, and how these models are poised to reduce costs, strengthen the tutoring workforce, and more effectively allocate tutoring supports.
As schools face increased student disengagement and uneven academic recovery, there’s a critical need to identify effective approaches to strengthen family-school partnerships—starting with investments in evidence-based solutions. Meghan McCormick details the evidence base guiding our Foundation's decision-making for investments in this space.